An escaped emu that caused havoc as it ran up and down a North devon
residential street during rush-hour has been detained by police.

The emu was reportedly "running up and down the street, trying to get into people's houses'' before it was caught.

Police had to enlist the help of local residents, who were asked to try and catch the 4ft bird in their homes, before it was eventually caught at around 8am.

Acting Sergeant Zoe Parnell and PCSO Stephen Huxtable from Devon and Cornwall police found the emu in Riddell Avenue, close to where it was first seen on St George's Road, near Pilton Park, at around 8am.

Sergeant Parnell said she "thought it was a bit of a wind-up" when she first received the call from the public.

She said: "But when I arrived at the scene to check it out, I could see this bird in the street. It was trying to get into people's houses. Obviously it was finding that difficult, and would try the next one.